


The Shape of a Stranger

by WhosFordAnyway



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:47:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23100448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhosFordAnyway/pseuds/WhosFordAnyway
Summary: "I was selected and trained to remember everything. But I can't remember my own face. The face I was born hundreds of years ago. But I guess it is ok. Because this is who I am now, and I got used to that, right?"Lena stares at her and finally sees the difference between Kara Danvers, the woman she loved, and Kara Zor-El, a total stranger.* Based on Travelers.
Relationships: Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, Kara Danvers/Mon-El
Comments: 7
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

  
_"Traveler 3326, waiting for confirmation."_

  
Kara's head feels exploding. Lights are blasting everywhere, and her body shakes against the cold floor. From her mouth foam covers her face and the carpet. She hears a woman screams, and shadows dance around her. 

All collapses when she finally catches her breath.

Drawing strength from her pain, she raises her head to the side and throws up bile. 

It took five minutes to acknowledge her surroundings.

"Oh, fuck," she mutters when she sees a needle at her right. It has some red component she's sure it is a new synthetic drug. "Red K?"

"You got the hell of a ride, dude. I thought you were dead for a solid minute," says a man from the other side of the room. He's smoking weed with a twisted smile he curls his fingers. "Want some more? Mike got more stock this morning, you should go to see him."

She opens her eyes wide in realization. She needs to find this Mike Matthews person now. 

Not minding her lack of coordination, she runs to the door and walks faster with a new aim in her mind.

She knows everything about the subject, him: _Mike Matthews, lives in St. Luke's Garden 393. Date of his death, February 14 at 11:10 AM. Cause: he breaks his neck when he falls from the rooftop of his house._

Her watch announces 11:05 Am, and she runs even faster.

It's about to happen.

He's about to die.

The cold burn her checks, but she's decided to make it in time.

She arrives at 11:13 AM, and she sees the young man standing up with difficulty from the snow. 

"Are you an angel? Because you just fall from the sky," Kara says with a weary smile when she see he's perfectly fine.

"Ugh, Zor-El, C'mon!" he replies with a pained expression. "I think Mike Matthews broke his ribs."

She scolds him, pushing him softly.

"Don't talk in the third person, remember you are him now," She checks on his chest. "Do you think you can wait for J'onn to arrive? He's the healer."

"I don't know. What time his vessel will die?"

"He got Kara's Danvers adoptive father. The man will die tomorrow morning, at 05:16 AM."

"That's a long wait! I guess you can always kiss it better, you know?" he leans to kiss the girl. 

The blonde responds happily before she remembers she's not allowed to do that anymore. This is not her body, nor her life. She pushes him back, looking around worried.

"Mon-El! You know you can't do that! Kara has a girlfriend, and they loved each other. I have to play that part now!"

"Ugh, this is awful. Why the director put you in a vessel with a girlfriend?"

"Because I'm the one with the eidetic memory, and Kara's girlfriend is the one who discovered how to do a cure for the Kryptonite virus. Before Lex Luthor destroyed every trace of it."

"So?"

"I have to memorize it this time."

"Ok, so you are a golden girl now? Smart one, into sports, really cute. This vessel kind of looks like your other self."

"And, in a change of circumstances, the girl is a drug addict."

"No way! How? The director didn't check your vessel like a thousand times? She said it was perfect for you!"

"The historical record said that she died after the first time she used Red K. But, I suspect she's deep in this hell." 

"Her parents were probably in denial since she was her golden girl." 

"Yeah. Well, for now, I'll wait for J'onn. He will tell us how to proceed."

"Yeah, so... What are you going to do now? Want to go inside?"

"Mike!" an old woman calls him from inside the house, "I heard something fall, it was you? If you are ok, then come back to work, you lazy boy. I told you to clean the rooftop a month ago. You are not getting out of this!"

"YES, WOMAN!" he yells back. "I see you later in Mike's basement. It's right there," he whispers. "I'll leave the door open. Tell J'onn to bring some human food. I heard it's fantastic!"

The blonde laughs and walks away. Now the cold sink in, she embraces herself and sighs defeated when she looks at the view of punctures in her arms.

It's unbelievable.

When she was Kara Zor-El, back then in Krypton, she was selected and trained to remember everything, from dates, locations, names, and formulas. She was highly ranked in every subject related to sciences. She never got in trouble or consumed forbidden substances. That's how she got this opportunity. Where her immaterial being could travel galaxies away to resolve different problems.

This mission, in particular, was crucial. Her race depended on it.

She had to find a cure for the virus that killed almost all the population of her planet. That's why J'onn J'onzz, the first traveler, came with her to lead her team. They need to win to change the future they come from.

Now she sees her purpose compromised by her vessel habit, and she's so enraged with the girl that she kicks the door of her room.

"I see you had a bad day too," says a brunette sitting on her bed. The woman is gorgeous. Her elegant figure resembles a masterpiece. Even when her eyes are red from crying, her face keeps her natural beauty. 

She clears her throat. This must be the girlfriend, Lena Luthor, she knows her too. _Perfect scores, brilliant mind, and good-hearted. She lives alone in an old apartment in the fifth._

She knows everything about Lena. Yet, she finds herself nervous at this first interaction.

"Yeah, I had a rough morning."

The brunette closes the door for her.

"I don't want anyone to hear this," she whispers infuriated. "I know you fucking came back to drugs. Veronica called me because she saw you all wasted, walking down the street. I was in my way to get you, to save you from getting into more troubles, and what do I find? You fucking kissing Mike!"

"It was a mistake; I wasn't in my right mind," she tries to defend herself, even when she knows she's been a hypocrite. "Please, I promise you I will never do it again!"

"You promise, ah? Just like the other hundred times?" A tear escapes from her green eyes. "I'm tired of trying, Kara. I love you, but you don't care about anything. I don't want to watch while you destroy yourself, because of it fucking hurts."

"No, no. Just give me one more chance!" she's genuinely desperate. Her mission is about to fail. She got an awful vessel, and she's about to lose this girl because Mon-El forgot the rules.

Lena leans on the wall, her eyes glued to the ceiling, doing nothing but breathing. It seems like the calm before the storm. 

"Did you change because of me? You were a ray of sunshine and now... you are a ghost."

"Don't say that, please. I'm the stupid who can't see that and I..." Green eyes land on hers and she loses the chain of thought. Lena is so beautiful.

"Do you love him?"

"M-Mike?" she stammers. "No, I don't."

Lena looks even sadder, she can see through her lies.

"Do you love me?"

"I do," she says softly. Yet Lena shakes her head dejected.

What can she do now? She's running out of ideas. The only thing that comes to her mind, it's to kiss her. Just like when she kisses Mon-El to make him forget about their problems.

So she does, and...

She never tasted softer lips than Lena's. 

The warm mouth and her sweet perfume make it so inviting.

She don't want to stop.

Yet, she's stopped by the delicate hands of Lena, who cries in silence.

"Why do you always do that?" her voice wavers and Kara's heart clenches. What kind of relationship did these two have?

"I'm sorry," she means it.

Without thinking, Kara reaches the brunette's face and kisses her firmly. Her hands sink into Lena's thin waist, while she leads her to the bed.

To be honest, the alien girl enjoys the contrast of her warm body against the cold woman underneath hers. She feels drawn to this beauty. Charmed by the intensity of her eyes, the fragility of her body, and the sweet voice that now repeats her name.

**_"How far we must go to preserve our mission intact?"_ **

**_She remembers asking this to the director and the whole room looking at her with disdain._ **

**_"You must act base on the protocols. Protocol 1 says, the mission comes first."_ **

**_"What if-?"_ **

**_"Protocol 3: Refrain from putting yourself in a position where you have to take or save a life. The lives of others are not your concern, do not interfere. " the director injects harshly. "Let your feelings aside, or I let you aside from this mission. Do you understand, Zor-El?"_ **

**_"Yes," Kara Zor-El says with her hands clenched. "I understand."_ **

That's how she finds herself claiming this human body like it were hers. Responding to every caress, every kiss, and the soft invitation Lena offers when she takes her hand and settles inside her jeans.

She finds silky skin, and warmness that embraces her fingers. She goes as soft and slow as she can, understanding this new connection. Lena wants this, and she's too curious and fascinated to stop.

When Lena is finally undone, she hugs her tightly, while her heart beats soundly. She wants to go over and over again. But Lena starts to cry, and she doesn't know where she failed.

"I'm sorry," the brunette says heartbreaking. "This is the end of us."

The woman makes her way out of the room, never looking at the blonde in the bed.

After a few seconds to process, Kara jumps to follow Lena. She's worried and confused. 

Is this the end? 

Before she can make it to the stairs, a harsh body shoves her against the wall.

When she regains her breathing, a hand grab her face, forcing her to look at the stranger's blue eyes.

"What the fuck did you do to her this time?" the blonde is surprised to find Kara's twin sister completely enraged.

Unfortunately, she knows about her too. _Linda Danvers, she's younger than Kara, but only for five minutes. They were adopted together, but they never got a close relationship. The girl still can talk Russian. While Kara lost the ability a year after they arrived in America._

"If you hit her again, I promise you I'll fucking kick your ass. I don't care if you are high."

Pure fright runs through her spine.

Kara Danvers will be the end of her.

 _"Traveler 3326, waiting for confirmation."_ The message appears again on her cellphone, but she can't answer.


	2. Chapter 2

The younger twin doesn't wait for her to defend herself when she's slamming her against the wall. It's so hard that half of the framed photos on the wall fall to the floor.

Kara's blue eyes are wide, fighting the idea that maybe she deserves this.

Well, not her but her vessel.

"That's enough, you two behave!" warns a firm male voice from the end of the stairs.

Linda clenches her fist, considering ignore their father.

"It was nothing, father," Linda says as she takes the stairs. "It was just a conversation in the Russian way."

The man rolls his eyes, "Please don't fight, you are sisters."

"Then tell Kara to not be an asshole."

Jeremiah sighs and signals to the older sister to follow him.

They go to the backyard and stay in silence while the sun goes down.

"So, what did you do this time?"

"Nothing, I promise. It's just... Lena broke up with me. Linda saw her crying, that's why she overreacted."

"The Luthor girl again? I should have thought about it before."

"Yeah, it seems a recurrent topic between us," Kara mumbles trying to get the man to fill the gaps of this story for her. Is this a thing with the sisters?

"The only topic, I would dare to say."

"What do you think I should do? About everything."

"Be patient. And understand that hearts don't choose who to fall in love with. I mean, I told you to take care of Lena not only because she was your girlfriend, but because she means a lot for Linda too."

"Oh…"

Crap, so it's real.

Kara stole her sister's crush. Now she understands the younger twin's wrath.

"Yeah, I mean. I don't blame her. Lena is a good girl."

Jeremiah closes his eyes, breathing heavily. He's exhausted.

"I hope someday you two can get along again, like old times."

"I hope that too," she breathes, like a little pray because she was an only child on her native planet. This whole twin sister thing is so new for her.

The man nods quietly before a look of deep pain shows on his face. He graves his chest, trying to soothe the pain.

It's useless, though.

The blonde woman holds him carefully, watching the man retrieve slowly.

"Are you ok, dad?"

"Yes, just a little pain on the chest. It's nothing to be afraid of. I'm too old."

But it is, though?

She remembers reading the file of this vessel. The cause of death and comments on social media about him. He seemed a good man, who did a lot for this little community.

She needs to give him something to relay on before he parts. Not the image of her loved daughter whose life is falling apart. So, she gives him hope.

"I know I was awful with you and everyone, but I promise you I'll change. From now and on I'll be the woman you always want me to be."

He smiles, still pained. 

"I just want for you to be happy," It breaks Kara's heart. "And to cut that crap you are into."

"It's a promise! That thing will never touch my system again."

She doesn't know if he believed her, but she hopes for. In a few hours, he will be replaced by his boss, J'onn. She wants him to go in peace, at least.

The last advice he gives her is to fight for her 'girl'. It's cute and makes her smile.

In the basement, Mike is already eating the incredible amount of food his vessel left in a minibar. Chocolates, chips, cereal bars, energetic drinks. It's insane.

He's half eating a donut when a hard knock it's heard. He frowns in surprise. It's too early for J'onn and Kara to arrive.

"Mike, are you in there?" calls a young woman from outside. "Hurry, we are freezing!"

We?

He lifts his eyebrows confused, yet he opens the door. When he sees a beautiful woman holding a backpack on her left and a baby on her right, he offers a clumsy smile.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the one with the memory, so he awaits for the woman to introduce herself.

"Oh, hey you. Nice to see you?"

The woman huffs, letting herself in without an invitation.

"You don't have to fake, Mike. I know you hate to see us out of nowhere, but I need a big favor. Can you watch Tom just tonight and tomorrow morning? It's too late to call a babysitter, and everyone else turn me down."

"I don't think that's a good idea…"

"Please, I need to go to New York for a few hours for an interview. It's a big thing for me! and if I got the job, then you will never have to see us again. Please, I know you asked me never to interact with the baby but I don't have anyone else! See it as the last time you watch your son."

Oh, boy.

His heart runs fast, and he has never been this lost. It's a baby, his baby, who his vessel seems to reject.

It's so sad.

He remembers his dad, and how much he missed him, so he finds himself nodding.

"Uh, sure. Sure. I, uh, I can do that."

She sighs and gives him the child. He takes him carefully while he sits on the sofa.

The baby sleeps peacefully, and he watches his little nose with a happy face.

"He looks a lot like you, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, but he's way more handsome," he agrees proudly. This little man is lovable.

When he looks up at the woman, she's bewildered.

"What?"

"You have never talked to him like he was your son."

"...There's always a first time."

The woman explains the basics first and after a fast lesson, she leaves them alone. It's easy, or at least that's what it seems, because it's late and, by Imra's talk, the baby would sleep the whole night and most of the morning.

Yet, he sends Kara a message to let her know the good news.

_"Zor-El, do you know how to take care of a baby?"_

The blonde is in the middle of a heat reading when she sees Mon-El's message, and before she replies he fills her with the whole story.

_"This vessel is a fuckboy who impregnated a woman. He threatened and paid her to shut up and stay away from him."_

"What shallow vessels the director choose."

_"Can you help me?"_

"Not now, I'm reading Kara's diary, so I can get something to get her girlfriend back. She broke with me!"

_"What? You are a good girlfriend! I recommend you."_

"I know! But this vessel fucked around a lot, and kind of cheat on her with you so, I have a lot to amend here."

_"Oh, I'm sorry. See you later?"_

"Of course. This is just a scratch."

The baby wakes up to be feed and then falls to sleep again in Mike's arms. The daxamite enjoys the silence, and the little pouts he makes.

"Your father was an asshole. How can someone do this to you? You are a cutie!"

He embraces him softly to take care of him in his dreams.

There's a knock on her window, at first Lena thinks it is a tree branch banging against the glass. It's windy outside. But when she sees her ex-girlfriend hanging from the window frame, she startles and runs to her. Kara could get hurt.

"What are you doing here?" The brunette says as she helps her to get inside.

"I came to tell you something."

"In the middle of the night?"

"Romantic gestures are unexpected."

"Oh, Lord," Lena's face falls in disappointment. "You are high, aren't you?"

"No, no. That's actually why I came here." She opens her backpack and shows her diary. "I was reading this to remain myself. To know where I failed to you and myself. And here, in this entry, I wrote about how happy and content I was. There, when I got injured and lost my scholarship. That day when you and my family, spent whole the day with me even when I was just a lost cause... you still saw something in me and that, that stuck on me."

Lena remains silent, looking at the book in the blonde hands.

"What I mean is, can you help me to be this person again? Someone who could do the most amazing things to not let you down."

"I tried, Kara. You know I did."

"Please, we can try again. One last time, I... You are important to me."

"We can be friends, nothing else. I don't think it's a good idea to be together again. We hurt each other so much."

No, it was Kara DANVERS who hurt her.

The cold air embraces her, but she just nods, trying to compose herself.

"I-I will go to rehab. I will change, I will get better." She takes Lena's hands, and she realizes both of them are shaking. "I-I will be worthy again."

A shaky breath escapes from Lena's mouth.

"I can accompany you, like a friend."

"That's... That's a lot, thanks."

They don't talk again, afraid of unshed tears that would come. The blonde goes away, and the brunette watches her disappear in the dark. 

There's no way she can forgive her. Or it is?

It's a long walk to Mike's basement, but it helps her to think. There are a lot of things to do.

First, she will heal the body of her vessel from all the damage that drugs caused.

Two, she will be in peace with her sister.

Third, she will show Lena the true love she deserves.

When she arrives, she's surprised to see Jeremiah or better saying J'onn, already there.

"What happened? You are so late!" Mon-El mocks at her with a childish smile.

"Oh, I didn't realize how late it was. I'm sorry, J'onn. It won't happen again."

"Don't worry. You give me an excuse to leave the house, you know, I have to get my drug addict daughter out of the streets."

"So you already know..." she huffs. "What can we do now?"

"To proceed. We can't go distracted by this. We knew we would have contingencies."

"Ok, then..."

"And I would treat you properly, so you don't die because of the addiction."

"Thanks!"

Mon-El looks at them, rocking softly at the baby on his arms.

"Now that is settle! What's our first mission, boss?"

"The Director wants us to take down Lex Luthor's mother. She's planning to kill Lena since Lionel disinherited Lex. Also, we need to get some armament and... Can you please let the baby in the crib? You are making nervous."

"No, no. He's my buddy now, and I'll never let him down."

Kara laughs softly as she takes her phone to send a message.

_"Traveler 3326, successful arrival."_


End file.
